INT. WINDMILL-DAY
A small PILE of STRAW burns. GLOVED HANDS unfold a paper filled with
HAIR CLIPPINGS, which are sprinkled on the fire.
A cloaked FIGURE kneels at the pile. This person removes a HUMAN SKULL
from a cloth bag.
The skull is placed at center in the flames. It’s teeth are sharp, cut
to points-the HORSEMAN’S SKULL.
INT. VAN TASSEL ESTATE-FIELDS-DAY
Ichabod rides Gunpowder, approaching the Ruined Cottage. He finds
Katrina crouched over the hearthstone. Her horse grazes. She hears his
horse and turns.
ICHABOD
Katrina…
Ichabod dismounts. Katrina had made a small fire. She is “doing
magic.” Mumbling. She turns to look at Ichabod in anger and tears.
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
(sympathetically)
You took the papers and burned
them… ?
KATRINA
So that you would not have them to
accuse my father… !
ICHABOD
I… I accuse no one… but if there
is guilt I cannot alter it no matter
how much it grieves me… and no
spells of yours can alter it
either…
KATRINA
If you knew my father you would not
have such harsh thoughts about him
-no, nor if you felt anything for
me!
ICHABOD
(in torment)
I am pinioned by a chain of
reasoning! Why else did his four
friends conspire to conceal… ?
KATRINA
You are the Constable, not I-so
find another chain of reasoning and
let me be.
ICHABOD
I cannot-not the one or the
other. I am heartsick with it.
KATRINA
I think you have no heart-and I
had a mind once to give you mine.
Katrina mounts her horse, which rears up. She is momentarily like a
female warrior, her eyes ablaze with anger and tears.
ICHABOD
(cries out)
Yes-I think you loved me that day
when you followed me into the
Western Woods! -to have braved
such peril!
KATRINA
(scornfully)
What peril was there for me if it
was my own father who controlled the
Headless Horseman?! Good-bye,
Ichabod Crane! I curse the day you
came to Sleepy Hollow!
Ichabod watches her gallop away and hides his anguished face for
comfort in Gunpowder’s neck.
EXT. FIELD AND COPSE-EVENING
A distant bell is tolling as Baltus waits on his horse… watching
where Lady Van Tassel can be glimpsed among the spaced trees gathering
“arrowroot flowers.”
BALTUS
(calls out)
Come. Hurry up! The meeting bell has
started toning.
He looks anxiously toward the vinage, then back to the trees… where
to his horror he sees… the Headless Horseman moves slowly toward Lady
Van Tassel, calmly unsheathing his sword.
EXT. SLEEPY HOLLOW, CHURCH-NIGHT
People are entering the Church while the bell tolls them in… watched
grimly by Steenwyck.
EXT. SLEEPY HOLLOW TOWN SQUARE, CHURCH-NIGHT
More people are heading toward the Church. In the shadows, Ichabod,
hatted and cloaked to make himself look anonymous, also watches the
people going by… and sees Katrina among them.
Baltus comes charging through the TOWN SQUARE on his horse.
BALTUS
The Horseman… !
Baltus is barely hanging on. He stops, falling off his horse,
scrambling toward Katrina, who is not far from Ichabod.
BALTUS (CONT’D)
Save me…
KATRINA
Father… ?
BALTUS
He killed her…
Baltus grasps Katrina, deathly afraid.
BALTUS (CONT’D)
The Horseman has killed your
stepmother!
HOOFBEATS are HEARD… the SCREECHY CRY of Daredevil. Baltus looks…
The Horseman rides into view, giving chase…
Instant mayhem-the few people in the churchyard flee, heading for
the Church…
Baltus runs toward the Church…
KATRINA
Father!
Katrina chases after Baltus. Ichabod now sees that his “case” is
falling apart. He and Young Masbath start running to the Church.
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
The GATHERERS in the pews react to the commotion, shouting, some
running to the windows… to the doors…
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Baltus pushes through the IRON GATE, across the churchyard, bounding
up the stairs… Katrina following him.
The Horseman rides behind…
Ichabod, with Masbath, follow into the churchyard. Ichabod glances
back…
ICHABOD
(to Young Masbath)
I know what you are thinking.
YOUNG MASBATH
It seems Baltus Van Tassel is not
the one who controls the Horseman.
As the Horseman reaches the open gate, Daredevil rears up violently,
snorting, unwilling to enter.
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Baltus makes his way into the church, shoving people aside.
Men pass RIFLES from stockpiles and climb onto pews at the boarded
windows. Women herd children into a cellar.
Baltus searches for a hiding place, moves toward the back…
Katrina moves through, following Baltus…
At the front of the Church, Ichabod squeezes in just as the front
doors are forced shut. Ichabod surveys the madness…
Ichabod runs to a window, looking out between boards…
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
At the church yard gates, the Horseman grabs Daredevils reins, tries
to move forward again. Same result-Daredevil freaks.
The Horseman gives his AXE an underhand toss… to the ground inside
the gate…
The axe instantly BEGINS TO DEGRADE-like dust in the rain.
The Horseman steers away, keeping outside the fence.
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Ichabod comes away from the window, looking to the mass of panicked
citizens. He sees Katrina pushing up the aisle… she’s heading toward
Baltus.
Katrina turns to Ichabod, her face aflame with accusation.
Ichabod is humbled, desperate to make it up-but Katrina runs toward
… the Altar, where she prostrates herself, evidently in a paroxysm of
despair.
RIFLES BOOM LOUDLY as men at the windows begin FIRING…
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
The Horseman circles, under fire.
Great clouds of gun smoke shoot from the Church.
Men fire down from the belfry.
Parts of the Horseman and Daredevil splatter red as slugs hit, without
effect.
At the other side of the Church…
The Horseman circles, heading to the town square…
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Riflemen shout to each other, running to the opposite windows to
follow the Horseman.
Young Masbath grabs a rifle, leaps to join the brigade.
Baltus is trying to force his way to one of the cellar doors, when
Steenwyck grips him angrily, SHOVES him…
STEENWYCK
You’ll kill us all… !
Baltus stumbles back, topples pews.
STEENWYCK (CONT’D)
You’re the one the Horseman wants.
Steenwyck grabs Baltus, dragging him to the front.
Ichabod’s pushing past people, trying to get to them.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE, CHURCH-NIGHT
The Horseman brings Daredevil to a halt, yanks a large coil of ROPE
off a hitching post, turns to ride back…
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Baltus pulls free from Steenwyck, falls to the floor again.
STEENWYCK
Why should we die for you? Get out!
Others join the rage, pulling Baltus toward the front of the Church,
shouting. Ichabod joins in, struggling to push people off of Baltus…
ICHABOD
Stop this… !
Ichabod gets to Baltus’s side, trying to protect.
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
The Horseman cannot enter! It does
not matter who he wants, he cannot
cross the gate… !
At the windows, ONE RIFLEMAN cries out.
ONE RIFLEMAN
He’s coming back!
More panic. Steenwyck points toward Baltus.
STEENWYCK
We have to save ourselves… !
Baltus pulls the PISTOL from Ichabod’s holster…
BALTUS
No! Unhand me! Stand off… !
Baltus brandishes the gun. Everyone backs off.
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
The Horseman rides past the front, fired upon…
The Horseman halts along a length of the wrought gate, reaches… yanks
off one IRON POST, which is pointed on top, like an arrow head.
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Baltus holds everyone away with the pistol, enraged…
BALTUS
The next person to lay hands on me
will have a bullet.
Doctor Lancaster, who so far has just been one of the crowd, now
pushes his way between Steenwyck and Baltus.
DOCTOR LANCASTER
Enough have died already!
(to Steenwyck
meaningfully)
It is time to confess our sins and
ask God to forgive our trespasses!
STEENWYCK
Don’t be a fool! I warn you, Doctor
Lancaster-!
BALTUS
(to Doctor Lancaster)
What is it that you know?
DOCTOR LANCASTER
(to Baltus)
Your four friends played you false.
We were devilishly possessed by one
who-
That’s as far as he gets before Steenwyck wrenches a heavy ornate
CROSS from the wall and smashes his skull with a blow of tremendous
force, with the Cross.
Baltus FIRES-blasts a bloody hole in Steenwyck’s stomach… !
Everyone backs farther away as Steenwyck falls. Steenwyck lays
gasping, eyes huge. He tries crawl…
Katrina rises to her feet and stands; staring wide-eyed at the horror.
Ichabod moves toward her.
Steenwyck lays still with a bloody gurgle, face down. Baltus looks to
all the horrified people around him.
BALTUS
There is conspiracy here! And I will
seek it out!
CRASH! -the IRON POST comes SPEARING through a window, trailing
rope…
CRACK-SKEWERS Baltus from behind: its bloodied point bursting out
through his breastbone…
Baltus gasps, stunned… he drops the gun, looks down to clutch the
post. Blood streams out of his mouth.
Ichabod catches Katrina as she swoons. Horrorstruck, he hugs her… and
thus notices that hanging on a ribbon around her neck is the little
carved bauble taken from the neck of the dead Crone. Almost at the
same time, Ichabod sees that on the flagstones where Katrina was lying
there is now a “Drawing” done in chalk, identical to the “Evil Eye”
drawing he found under his bed.
ICHABOD
(gasps)
The Evil Eye again!
At that moment, a piece of White Chalk falls from Katrina’s senseless
hand.
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
Oh God… .it was you!
The full horrible implication of this hits Ichabod just as:
The rope tied to the post suddenly YANKS Baltus backward with
incredibleforce-SLAMS him into the WINDOW…
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Baltus CRASHES backward through the window, hits the ground,
DRAGGED…
OUTSIDE THE FENCE, the Horseman rides Daredevil away from the church,
with the rope tied around Daredevil’s saddle pommel…
Baltus SLAMS the fence. The rope SNAPS. Baltus is held there
awkwardly, gurgling blood.
INT. CHURCH-NIGHT
Ichabod, holding Katrina, cries out-
ICHABOD
Oh… Katrlna… Oh God, forgive
her…
EXT. CHURCH-NIGHT
The Horseman turns Daredevil, riding back… his sword raised high…
… he chops off Baltus’s head.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE-NIGHT
Katrina lies insensible in her bed… the ribbon with the bauble around
her neck.
Ichabod stands watching her, alone with his grief and his appalling
“secret.”
ICHABOD
It was an evil spirit possessed you.
I pray God it is satisfied now, and
that you find peace. Good-bye,
Katrina. The Evil Eye has done its
work. My life is over-spared for
a lifetime of horrors in my sleep,
waking each day to grief.
Ichabod leaves the room, closing the door.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN, PORCH AND LAWN-DAWN
Ichabod, watch only by Young Masbath, stands by a FIRE burning in a
CIRCLE of ROCKS nearby. He has his Ledger. After a moment, he throws
the LEDGER onto the fire. The pages catch quickly.
He opens his satchel and digs out a BOOK. His luggage is packed on the
porch.
He walks back to the fire, looks at the book in his hand, the book
Katrina gave him. He stands staring down.
A DECREPIT COACH is arriving.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KITCHEN, PORCH AND LAWN-DAY
The decrepit COACH, with Gunpowder as one of its team, waits, loaded
with Ichabod’s baggage.
Van Ripper, the driver, helps Ichabod with strapping the load. Young
Masbath watches, not helping.
Ichabod turns to Young Masbath.
Angry tears come to Young Masbath’s eyes. The farewell is like an
argument.
YOUNG MASBATH
But who will look for the truth when
you have gone?
ICHABOD
There is no more truth to be found.
That is why I can go and leave this
wretched place behind me.
YOUNG MASBATH
You think it was Katrina, don’t you?
Ichabod clamps his hand over Young Masbath’s mouth. He looks intently
into his eyes.
ICHABOD
That can never be uttered. Never.
Ichabod takes his hand away.
YOUNG MASBATH
A strange sort of witch! -with a
kind and loving heart! How can you
think so?
ICHABOD
I have a good reason.
YOUNG MASBATH
Then you are bewitched by reason.
ICHABOD
I am beaten down by it! It’s a hard
lesson for a hard world, and you had
better learn it, Young Masbath- villainy wears many masks, none so
dangerous as the mask of virtue.
Farewell!
Van Ripper climbs onto the coach. Ichabod looks to the Manor House.
Only one light shines, in a SECOND FLOOR WINDOW.
lchabod climbs into the coach.
INT. VAN RIPPER’S COACH-DAY
INSIDE THE COACH, Ichabod slumps. He pounds twice on the coach wall.
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, FRONT LAWN-DAY
OUTSIDE, Van Ripper whips the reins. The coach starts. Young Masbath
watches, wiping tears.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, KATRINA’S ROOM-DAY
Katrina wakes. She hears the Coach Wheels. She gets up from the bed
and goes to the window. Her POV shows the Coach leaving… Katrina’s
face shows that her world has collapsed around her.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE, CHURCH-DAY
Van Ripper’s coach crosses the covered bridge… past the town square
… past the church.
Near Doctor Lancaster’s house, the coach passes a flat cart… on
which lies the headless corpse of Lady Van Tassel. Ichabod looks at
the corpse and he notes the gashed palm of one dead hand.
The cart is being pulled at a walking pace by a single horse. The CART
MAN walking, holding the bridle.
The cart man pauses, seeing a RIDER approaching, traveling in the same
direction as Ichabod’s coach.
Ichabod realizes that the rider is Katrina. He looks from the coach
window and sees Katrina get down from the horse and go to the cart.
Ichabod pulls back from his window and closes his eyes.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, ICHABOD’S ROOM-DAY
Young Masbath enters, looks around the empty room. He goes to sit,
crosses his arms on the desk and lays down his head.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PARLOR-DAY
Katrina enters. She crosses, slumps in a chair, staring into the
burning fireplace
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, VARIOUS ROOMS-POV-DAY
A POV MOVES SLOWLY THROUGH THE HOUSE; SOMEONE’S searching various
rooms…
INT VAN RIPPER’S COACH-DAY
Ichabod opens his satchel, takes out a bottle of water and gulps from
it. In replacing the bottle, he finds… the Book given him by Katrina.
He opens the book. There is a DIAGRAM DRAWING on a whole page. Ichabod
recognizes… the “Drawing” of the supposed “Evil Eye,” identical to
the two we have seen before. But what gets Ichabod’s real attention is
the bold “headline.”
The Headline over the Picture is “For The Protection of A Loved One
Against Evil Spirits.”
Ichabod gasps, and mutters the words aloud.
What a fool he’s been!
ICHABOD
(to himself)
But then, who… ?
He is puzzled. He stares at his open palms. The scars on his palms
trigger a thought…
Then he understands: something we will soon understand.
He slides the front window panel to shout through it.
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
Van Ripper, turn the coach… !
VAN RIPPER
What?
ICHABOD
Turn around, now!
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, VARIOUS ROOMS, PARLOR-POV-EVENING
SOMEONE still moves through the house, a TRAVELING POV-moving
through ROOMS on the ground floor…
Stopping at the doorway of the PARLOR, looking to where Katrina is
seated across the room.
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-EVENING
Mrs. Lancaster comes to answer BANGING on the door. She opens the door
and Ichabod pushes past, satchel in hand, taking Mrs. Lancaster’s
lantern.
ICHABOD
Pardon my intrusion…
There are TWO COFFINS on the floor.
Ichabod throws off the lids from the coffins, looking to the headless
BODIES of BALTUS and LADY VAN TASSEL.
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PARLOR-INTERCUT-EVENING
Katrina still sits, her eyes closed. A FIGURE in BLACK moves forward
in the darkness behind…
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-INTERCUT-EVENING
Ichabod goes to lift Lady Van Tassel’s hand with the GASH on its palm,
bends to study… pulling at the sewn wound-pulling the stitches
apart between his thumbs…
Mrs. Lancaster watches.
INT. VAN TASSEL H0USE, PARLOR-INTERCUT-EVENING
Katrina hears a BOARD CREAK. She sits up, turning…
KATRTNA
Who is it?
INT. DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, MEDICAL ROOM-INTERCUT-EVENING
Ichabod releases the corpse’s hand, tears off his spectacles, shaken
by the realization…
ICHABOD
No bloodflow, no clotting, no
healing… When this cut was made…
this woman was already dead.
Ichabod grabs his satchel, bolts out the door…
INT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PARLOR-INTERCUT-EVENING
The FIGURE moves closer in darkness…
KATRINA
Who is there… ?
The FIGURE comes into the dim, flickering fire light… Lady Van
Tassel.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Dear step daughter…
Katrina stands, terrified, trying to form words… Lady Van Tassel
cackles like a witch.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.
Katrina’s eyes roll up as she FAINTS dead away to the floor.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE, DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE-NIGHT
Ichabod runs out from the DOCTOR’S RESIDENCE, leaps up onto the empty
coach, pushing Van Ripper’s rifle aside. Van Ripper’s urinating
against the side of the building.
VAN RIPPER
Be with you in a minute, Constable.
Ichabod whips the horses, driving the coach away.
Van Ripper frowns in confusion.
INT. THE WINDMILL-NIGHT
The interior of the windmill is large and shadowy, with lots of old
junk, clutter, machinery, boxes, etc.
Katrina lies unconscious. Lady Van Tassel comes to cut off a clump of
Katrina’s hair with SCISSORS, grinning as she does it.
A CONJURING PILE has been prepared, containing a small ANIMAL’S HEART
with an iron NAIL through it. Lady Van Tassel adds Katrina’s hair,
lights the pile off a lantern.
Lady Van Tassel WHISPERS over the fire. She looks to Katrina, who
stirs.
Lady Van Tassel takes the HORSEMAN’S SKULL from a bag over her
shoulder, places it in the flames. THUNDER is HEARD.
LADY VAN TASSEL
(whispers and chants)
Rise up once more, my Dark Avenger!
-Rise up!-One more night of
Beheading!-Rise up with your
sword, and your Mistress of the
night will make you whole-a head
for a head, my unholy Horseman- rise-rise-rise from the earth,
come forth again through the Tree of
the Dead… come now for… Katrina!
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
The WIND scatters dead leaves. The TWISTED TREE OPENS WIDE with a
RUMBLE-SHAFTS of LIGHT shooting out.
EXT. THE ROAD TO VAN TASSEL ESTATE-NIGHT
Ichabod drives the coach hard ahead.
INT. THE WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina sits up, groggy, looking around… sees the dying fire, and
Lady Van Tassel watching her.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Awake at last. Did you think it was
all a nasty dream? Alas, no.
KATRINA
My father saw the Horseman kill
you…
LADY VAN TASSEL
He saw the Horseman coming to me
with his sword unsheathed! But it is
I who govern the Horseman, my dear,
and Baltus did not stay to see.
KATRINA
But there was your body!
LADY VAN TASSEL
The servantgirl, Sarah, I always
thought her useless, but she turned,
out useful. Tomorrow I’ll totter out
of the woods and spin a tale how I
found Baltus and Sarah in the act of
lust… as I watched, the Horseman
was upon them, and off went Sarah’s
head! I fainted and remember nothing
more…
KATRINA
Who are you?
LADY VAN TASSEL
My family name was… Archer.
KATRINA
(remembering the cottage
hearth)
The Archer…
LADY VAN TASSEL
I lived with my father and mother
and my sister in a gamekeeper’s
cottage not far from here…
The conversation is being heard by a MOVING POV among the shadows.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
Until one day, my father died, and
the landlord who received many years
of loyal service from my parents…
evicted us. No one in this God-
fearing town would take us in…
The MOVING POV stops, spying from behind the clutter. The REVERSE SHOT
reveals YOUNG MASBATH, holding his breath.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
… because my mother was suspected
of witchcraft…
Young Masbath looks about for a weapon. His eyes alight on a large
Wooden Mallet.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
She was no witch, but I believe she
knew much that lies under the
surface of life… and she schooled
her daughters well while we lived as
outcasts in the Western Woods. She
died within a year… and my sister
and I remained in our refuge, seeing
not a soul… until, gathering
firewood one day, we crossed the
path of the Hessian…
FLASHBACK-FOREST BATTLEFIELD (WESTERN WOODS)-DAY
The Hessian Horseman (avec head) has happened upon TWO YOUNG GIRLS
gathering firewood. The girls stand frozen at the sight of him, till
one girl drops her firewood and runs…
The second girl remains, holding the Horseman’s gaze.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
LADY VAN TASSEL
I saw his death, and from that
moment…
FLASHBACK-FOREST BATTLEFIELD (WESTERN WOODS)-DAY
The Girl watches the burial of the Horseman… and his Head dropped
into the grave.
LADY VAN TASSEL
… I offered my soul to Satan if he
would raise the Hessian from the
grave to avenge me.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Young Masbath, unseen, works his way quietly around behind Lady Van
Tassel.
KATRINA
Avenge you?
LADY VAN TASSEL
Against Van Garrett, who evicted my
family, against Baltus Van Tassel
who, with wife and simpering
girlchild, stole our home. I swore I
would make myself mistress of all
they had…
(she cackles again)
The easiest part was the first-to
enter your house as your mother’s
sick nurse and put her body into the
grave, and my own into the marriage
bed.
Katrina cries out in horror.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
Not quite so easy was to secure my
legacy… but lust delivered Reverend
Steenwyck into my power. Fear did
the same for the Notary Hardenbrook.
The drunken Philipse succumbed for a
share of the proceeds, and the
Doctor’s silence I exchanged for my
complicity in his fornications…
Masbath moves into the open, weapon raised. Katrina sees him and
stifles a gasp.
KATRINA
(keeping Lady Van
Tassel’s attention)
Yes! -you have everything now.
LADY VAN TASSEL
No, my dear-you do, by your
father’s will. But I get everything
in the event of your death.
(she cackles again)
Lady Van Tassel’s hand reaches for the Mystic Bauble on Katrina’s
neck. She rips it free.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
(as she does so)
This pretty bauble, which I so
kindly gave you to wear, has done
it’s work. My sister, by the way,
sadly passed away…
FLASHBACK-OUTSIDE CRONE’S CAVE HOME-DAY
The Crone falls to the ground outside her cave, unconscious, beaten
and bloodied.
A hand-Lady Van Tassel’s hand-enters FRAME to haul the Crone up
by the hair, and WE SEE the Crone’s bloodied features face to face
with the wicked smile of Lady Van Tassel.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
LADY VAN TASSEL
… quite recently.
FLASHBACK-OUTSIDE CRONE’S CAVE HOME-DAY
Lady Van Tassel holds a SWORD high, SWINGS DOWN… Then we see the
separated Head and Torso… and the severed CORD, which had been around
the Crone’s neck… and Lady Van Tassel’s Hand reaching for the Mystic
Bauble, which had fallen free.
INT. WINDMILL NIGHT
Young Masbath is about ready to bring the mallet down upon Lady Van
Tassel’s head.
KATRINA
(keeping Lady Van
Tassel’s attention)
It was the Crone you killed… your
own sister…
LADY VAN TASSEL
She brought it upon herself…
Like a whiplash, Lady Van Tassel turns cackling at Young Masbath- she sensed him by witchery!
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
(to Young Masbath)
-by helping you and your master!
Young Masbath shrieks and drops the mallet.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
You are just in time to have your
head sliced off!
Katrina and Young Masbath run to each other for mutual comfort.
LIGHTNING BRIGHTENS the forest. Lady Van Tassel looks up.
LADY VAN TASSEL (CONT’D)
The Horseman comes. And tonight he
comes for you!
EXT. WESTERN WOODS-NIGHT
The Horseman rides Daredevil, a freight train of moldering flesh…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath are holding hands, scared.
Lady Van Tassel picks up the Horseman’s skull in her gloved hand and
puts up her face and gives out a long animal howl. Distantly,
Daredevil is heard answering with a scream.
Katrina and Young Masbath run. Lady Van Tassel has need to stop them.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Run! There is no escape!
EXT. VAN TASSEL HOUSE, PORCH AND LAWN-NIGHT
Ichabod leaps from the coach, bounds up porch stairs…
ICHABOD
Katrina!
Ichabod stops, sees FIRELIGHT at the Windmill. He runs… leaps back up
to the coach and takes off…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
THUNDER BOOMS. WIND HOWLS. Lady Van Tassel stands in the doorway with
the skull in one hand, laughing.
EXT. AROUND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath break out into the open. Ichabod drives
toward them…
KATRINA
Ichabod!
Ichabod meets them, halts the coach and jumps down (as the coach
horses trot away), running to put his arms around Katrina and Young
Masbath…
ICHAB0D
Thank God…
Lady Van Tassel’s mad laughter is heard. Ichabod and Katrina turn
as…
Lady Van Tassel rides from around the windmill on her white horse. She
shrieks with laughter.
ALONG THE TREELINE, the Horseman breaks into the open… Hell on
horseback-full speed ahead…
LADY VAN TASSEL (0.S.)
Have you come back to arrest him
after all?!
Ichabod thinks fast, moving to the windmill, leading Katrina and Young
Masbath along with him.
ICHABOD
Quickly… !
Behind, wind tosses Lady Van Tassel’s dress and hair. She holds the
Horseman’s skull high.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Mind your hat, Constable!
Young Masbath scurries up the ladder and in.
Katrina’s next. Ichabod looks behind… The Horseman is almost upon
them.
Ichabod follows Katrina, pulling himself up. The Horseman arrives,
dismounting, moving forward…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Ichabod leaps up, lifts the heavy trap door on its hinges, slams it.
The door is POUNDED from outside, buckling.
YOUNG MASBATH
It won’t hold.
Ichabod goes to a large GRINDSTONE against a wall. He struggles to
roll it…
Young Masbath helps him roll it to the trapdoor. It falls on top with
a THUD. Masbath jumps back as the Horseman’s sword jabs up through the
grindstone’s center hole.
The sword withdraws. POUNDING begins anew.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman chops at the door with his axe.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
POUNDING CONTINUES, Katrina and Young Masbath back away. Ichabod holds
his lantern up, desperate for ideas, searching.
Above, to the right, is the high MILLING PLATFORM, where grain is
ground and bagged, and a ladder leading to it. To the left is the
crooked, open STAIRCASE.
Ichabod picks up a BAILING HOOK, a plan forming. He gives his lantern
to Katrina and points.
ICHABOD
Get up these stairs. Open the door
to the roof and wait.
Katrina and Young Masbath obey, heading left. Ichabod crosses to the
right, starts climbing the ladder to the milling platform…
On the platform, Ichabod grasps a wooden lever, pulling it.
The entire windmill CREAKS and GROANS as massive GEARS and
COUNTERWHEELS above begin to turn.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The windmill’s rotors slowly begin spinning.
UNDER THE WINDMILL, the Horseman keeps chopping…
His axe exposes grindstone, throwing sparks.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Katrina looks down from the stairway. The POUNDING on the trap door
causes the grindstone to jump.
KATRINA
Ichabod…
ICHABOD
Keep climbing. I will follow…
(under his breath)
Hopefully.
Ichabod drags large BAGS of GRAIN, lining them up at the edge of the
milling platform.
ABOVE, Young Masbath throws open the door to the roof.
BELOW, Ichabod uses the bailing hook to cut holes into the grain bags,
so that MILLED GRAIN SPILLS out and falls to the floor, creating
clouds of grain dust.
Ichabod grabs one open bag, dumps it.
He slices into a sack hanging from a pulley system, pushes it so it
swings in circles, grain flooding out…
More and more DUST RISES, filling the air…
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Masbath and Katrina come out. Rotors spin behind them.
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The GRINDSTONE blocking the trap door FALLS THROUGH as wood splinters
and gives. A moment, then the Horseman climbs in.
KATRINA
(looking in from above)
Behind you!
Ichabod looks down, sees the Horseman, then looks to the staircase
adjacent from the high platform. He runs…
He LEAPS across the space between the platform and stairs…
Ichabod grasps the outer rail of the staircase, hanging on, pulls
himself up onto the stairs…
Below, the Horseman moves through clouds of billowing dust, runs and
LEAPS, incredibly high…
The Horseman grasps a hanging chain, swinging, his momentum carrying
him in a wide arc…
Above, Ichabod runs upstairs, to the roof door.
The Horseman’s weight swings him toward the stairwell…
He releases the chain… airborne momentarily…
The Horseman lands high up on the stairwell.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NIGHT
Katrina and Young Masbath help Ichabod onto the roof.
KATRINA
Quickly, close it!
ICHABOD
No…
Ichabod takes the lantern from Katrina.
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
(points)
Get to the crest of the roof and be
ready to jump.
YOUNG MASBATH
Jump? From up here?!
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman clomps upstairs, axe in hand.
EXT. WINDMILL ROOF-NlGHT
Ichabod shepherds Katrina and Young Masbath to the edge, where the
rotors spin close.
ICHABOD
Jump for the sails! Wait till I give
the word!
KATRINA
Ichabod!… I can’t…
ICHABOD
Yes, you can, my love-hand in
hand…
Ichabod moves back to the trap door.
Katrina and Young Masbath look at the rotors, and down at the long
distance between them and the ground.
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
Be ready…
Ichabod DROPS the LANTERN into the windmill and runs…
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
Now!
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The Horseman continues up. The lantern falls past…
EXT. WINDMILL, ROOF-NIGHT
Young Masbath jumps. Ichabod grips Katrina, jumps…
They hit one rotor, gripping the frame and cloth as the rotor begins
its DOWNWARD TURN…
INT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The lantern hits the ground and shatters-FLAMES EXPLODE!
Throughout the windmill’s interior, grain dust is consumed
instantaneously-FLAMES ROAR upward…
FLAMES engulf the Horseman…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
The rotor is halfway to its lowest point. Masbath, Katrina and Ichabod
hang on as the ENTIRE STRUCTURE TREMBLES…
Flames shoot out windows, doors and seams!
On the rotor, Ichabod struggles to keep a grip on Katrina. Masbath
drops. Ichabod and Katrina fall…
They all hit the ground. Ichabod rolls over, gasping, holding his
shoulders, getting to his feet…
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath run away as smoldering debris rains
down.
EXT. ACROSS THE FIELD-NIGHT
Ichabod ushers them along as they run, heading uphill. Lightning
flashes across the sky. THUNDER RUMBLES.
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
Behind, the WINDMILL begins to CRUMBLE, huge burning sections crashing
to the ground.
EXT. ACROSS THE FIELD-NIGHT
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath slow, looking back at the
incredible conflagration.
YOUNG MASBATH
Is he dead?
ICHABOD
He was dead to start with-that’s
the problem.
KATRINA
Look…
EXT. WINDMILL-NIGHT
IN THE WINDMILL RUBBLE, the Horseman RISES, shoving off burning
debris. His flame-ravaged uniform smolders.
EXT. ACROSS THE FIELD -NIGHT
Ichabod spins, searching for possibilities… He spots the COACH and
HORSES not too far away…
ICHABOD
Come on!
They flee toward the coach. Behind…
Daredevil rides to rejoin the Horseman.
EXT. THE ROAD FROM VAN TASSEL ESTATE-NIGHT
The coach hits the long straight road, rumbling at top speed away from
the Van Tassel Estate, into the forest…
Katrina and Masbath hold on as the coach shakes violently.
KATRINA
Where are we going?
ICHABOD
Anywhere!
YOUNG MASBATH
He’s right behind!
Behind on the trail, the Horseman chases, closing fast.
KATRINA
Make for the church!
ICHABOD
We’ll never reach it!
Young Masbath grabs Ichabod’s satchel, offers it…
YOUNG MASBATH
Here, sir… you must have something
in your bag of tricks.
ICHABOD
Nothing that will help us, I am
afraid. Take the reins…
Young Masbath takes them. Ichabod gives Van Ripper’s rifle to Katrina,
then crawls back across the coach roof.
Ichabod gets to a baggage area at the rear, struggling to open a
storage box.
Behind, the Horseman draws his sword, closer.
Ichabod opens the box and pulls out a jagged HAND SAW.
KATRINA
Look out… !
Ichabod looks. The Horseman rides up, SWINGS his sword…
Ichabod recoils-THWACK-just missed.
The Horseman lets the coach get ahead, shifting to the other side of
the trail… coming along side again…
Ichabod backpedals, looking to Masbath.
ICHABOD
Keep him off! Block him!
Masbath guides the horses over. The Horseman must fall behind to avoid
the wheels.
One wheel hits a large rock…
Ichabod bounces, falling, drops the saw…
He hangs off the side of the coach.
The saw clatters away on the trail.
Ichabod tries for better purchase. He grips the coach door.
Katrina climbs to offer her hand.
KATRINA
Take my hand!
Ichabod reaches to her, but the coach door falls open…
Ichabod’s PISTOL falls from the holster and is lost on the trail.
Ichabod clings helplessly to the door as branches slam him.
EXT. BEHIND THE TRAIL
The Horseman gets to his feet. Ahead, Daredevil stands waiting, giving
a SCREECH.
EXT. AHEAD ON THE TRAIL NEAR THE TREE OF THE DEAD
Katrina and Ichabod rejoin Mashath, climb off the coach to examine the
ruined wheel, panicked.
ICHABOD
This is not good.
YOUNG MASBATH
We’re doomed.
ICHABOD
We have to get out of the open
somehow. Quick, follow me…
They turn to run, but suddenly falter, seeing… Riding over the crest
of the hill, comes Lady Van Tassel, on her white horse, with Ichahod’s
lost pistol in her hand…
EXT. NEAR FOREST-NIGHT
LADY VAN TASSEL
What? Still alive?!
Across the distance, the Horseman strides in this direction.
ICHABOD
Run, Katrina…
Lady Van Tassel points her gun at Katrina.
LADY VAN TASSEL
Yes, do run. And jump. And skip.
(she takes aim)
And now let’s see a somersault!
ICHABOD
Run!
Ichahod makes a move toward Lady Van Tassel, but Lady Van Tassel aims
and FIRES-shoots Ichahod in the chest! Ichahod goes down…
KATRINA
No!
Young Masbath cries out, falls to his knees beside Ichabod. Katrina
moves toward Ichahod… Lady Van Tassel rides forward-GRABS Katrina
by the hair, PULLING HER, riding off toward the Horseman… Ichabod
lays clutching the smoldering wound in his chest, gasping. Young
Masbath holds him…
YOUNG MASBATH
Oh, God… no… no…
Lady Van Tassel drags Katrina by the hair as Katrina screams and
struggles and kicks.
The Horseman keeps coming…
Lady Van Tassel stops her horse, halfway to the Horseman, drops
Katrina and starts riding back, shouting…
LADY VAN TASSEL
There she is. Take her, she’s yours!
Katrina gets up to run, stumbles, falls…
The Horseman strides after…
Up the field, Ichabod gets to his knees, feeling his chest with both
hands, not quite understanding, struggling to shake off delirium…
YOUNG MASBATH
Sir, you’re… you’re not dead…
ICHABOD
Not… yet…
Ichabod looks up, trying to comprehend…
Lady Van Tassel had turned her horse, her back to us, keeping her
distance from the Horseman. Beyond her, Katrina flees this direction
with the Horseman at her heels.
Ichabod’s focused on something…
The black SADDLEBAG slung over Lady Van Tassel’s horse.
Ichabod rises out of pure determination, runs…
Katrina runs… the Horseman is closing on her.
Lady Van Tassel watches, grinning, but at the last second something
catches her eye and she turns, just as…
Ichabod LEAPS…
TACKLES Lady Van Tassel off of her horse, taking her down to the
ground HARD… her bag falling open…
The Horseman’s skull rolling out…
Ichabod scrambles toward the skull-but falls, halted. Lady Van
Tassel grips his leg, holding him.
Young Masbath grabs a heavy, broken TREE LIMB off the ground.
The Horseman is mere yards behind Katrina…
Ichabod struggles to get free from Lady Van Tassel, can’t break her
grip when, BANG-Young Masbath SMASHES Lady Van Tassel over the head
with the tree limb. She’s out.
The Horseman catches Katrina…
Ichabod scrambles free, running, reaching for the skull… grasping
it…
The Horseman holds Katrina ready by her hair as she falls to her
knees, screaming and struggling. The Horseman raises his sword…
Ichabod rises, THROWS the skull with all his might…
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
Horseman!
The skull spins through the air…
The Horseman suddenly drops Katrina, reaches up with one hand…
catches the skull.
Katrina runs. Ichabod runs to meet her, grabs her as she falls.
Together, they back away from the Horseman…
The Horseman holds the skull out… brings it to his shoulders, to its
rightful place. THUNDER POUNDS.
TRANSFORMATION begins-blood and flesh rise up from the Horseman’s
throat and grip the skull…
Young Masbath watches in awe.
The Horseman’s reformation continues. Muscle forms. Liquids become
solids. He is made whole once more, the same evil, human face we saw
in Baltus’s stories.
The Horseman looks to Ichabod and Katrina, touches his restored face.
Daredevil rides up, SCREECHING. The Horseman replaces his sword,
climbs into the saddle.
He rides toward Katrina and Ichabod, but he does not want them. They
are so exhausted they fall down. Young Masbath comes to stand with
them.
The Horseman leans to grab Lady Van Tassel’s unconscious form, pulls
her up across Daredevil’s back.
The Horseman rides away with her.
Ichabod and Katrina watch him go. They look at each other, then kiss
gratefully. Ichabod looks to Young Masbath…
ICHABOD (CONT’D)
How are you, Young Masbath?
YOUNG MASBATH
Weary, sir.
Ichabod holds out his arm. Masbath comes over. They embrace. Katrina
touches the burned bullet hole in Ichabod’s clothing.
KATRINA
I thought I had lost you.
Ichabod reaches into his clothing, takes out a BOOK he kept in an
inner pocket close to his heart…
The BOOK OF SPELLS with a bullet lodged in it.
Katrina wraps her arms around Ichabod.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
HOOFBEATS.
The Horseman enters the clearing, holding on to Lady Van Tassel.
Ahead, the Tree of the dead awaits.
Lady Van Tassel is awakening…
The Horseman grips Lady Van Tassel’s hair, pulling her face up closer
to his, just as she opens her eyes…
Lady Van Tassel screams…
As the Horseman brings his face to meet hers, about to engage in a
KISS, his jagged teeth open wide.
Ahead, the twisted tree’s wound opens, deep and glowing, as Daredevil
picks up speed.
EXT. WESTERN WOODS, TREE OF THE DEAD-NIGHT
Daredevil JUMPS in the air just as a LIGHTNING BOLT blasts down from
the sky, striking the Horseman…
For an instant, Horseman and horse are transformed, SKELETONS OF
LIGHT, entering the tree!
Silence and smoke.
At the tree, Lady Van Tassel’s hand sticks out from the tight-shut
suture.
The sewn wound on her palm seeps blood as her fingers curl.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET, ICHABOD’S HOME-DAY
A coach pulls up to Ichabod’s home. Ichabod is the driver.
He gets off, goes and opens the coach door. He helps Katrina down.
Next, Young Masbath sticks his head out.
Katrina holds Young Masbath’s hand. Ichabod comes to hold Katrina’s
hand.
A STRAY CAT watches them-
Young Masbath looks entranced at the BUSTLING METROPOLIS.
YOUNG MASBATH
Oh, my!
KATRINA
(equally impressed)
And cobbled streets!
ICHABOD
(proudly)
Yes… New York, New York! Just in
time for the new century! It’s the
modern age, Katrina!
KATRINA
It’s always the modern age, Ichabod
… but the ancient ones endure.
Large snowflakes begin to fall upon the scene.
Ichabod puts an arm around Katrina and the other arm around Masbath.
The CAT is black with one white paw… the Cat from Ichabod’s dreams…
The CAT turns to look at the trio.
ECU-The CAT’S EYES ARE HUMAN, INTELLIGENT, KINDLY… They are
Ichabod’s Mother’s eyes.
Ichabod, Katrina and Young Masbath enter Ichabod’s house, as the SNOW
continues to fall.
THE END
